Nusrat murder: HC to deliver verdict on 16 convicts Aug 24

The High Court on Thursday set August 24 to deliver its verdict on the death reference involving 16 convicts, including former Sonagazi Senior Fazil Madrasa principal SM Sirajuddoula, in the murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

A bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja fixed the date after concluding the hearing on the death reference.

Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir represented the accused, while Deputy Attorney General Syed Ejaz Kabir appeared for the state.

On March 27, 2019, Nusrat’s mother, Shirin Akhter, filed a case against Siraj, over allegations of sexual harassment. Police subsequently arrested the principal.

According to the case proceedings, his associates later sought to secure his release from jail. On April 3, the accused allegedly consulted Siraj in jail and, on April 4, planned to kill Nusrat at the madrasa dormitory.

As part of the plan, Nusrat was taken to the roof of a cyclone shelter on April 6, when she went to sit for her Alim examination, where she was allegedly set on fire.

She was initially taken to Sonagazi Upazila Health Complex and later to Feni 250-bed General Hospital. As her condition deteriorated, she was transferred to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she died on April 10.

Nusrat’s brother, Mahmudul Hasan Noman, filed a murder case on April 8.

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) submitted the charge sheet on May 28, and the Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal began the trial on June 20.

After recording the testimony of 87 witnesses and hearing arguments over 61 working days, the tribunal sentenced all accused to death and fined each 1 lakh taka on October 24, 2019. 

Judge Mamunur Rashid delivered the verdict.

Under the law, a death sentence imposed by a trial court must be sent to the HC for confirmation. Accordingly, the death reference reached the HC on October 29, 2019.

After the case documents were printed on a priority basis, the Chief Justice assigned the case to a designated HC bench for hearing. The convicts subsequently filed appeals seeking commutation of their sentences.